Our Re-homing Process

The rehoming process varies slightly depending on whether or not you are new owners or are looking for a companion(s) for your existing guinea pig(s).

The first stage is for you to complete our rehoming application form which enables us to find out a bit more about the home you are offering. If you are new to guinea pigs please don't be concerned if you haven't already bought your accommodation or other equipment yet - we are more than happy to give you advice about what to buy as we wouldn't want you to buy something which doesn't meet our requirements. Please contact us if you would like us to send you our application form.

If all is well with the information provided in your form, we will either visit you for a home check or very exceptionally we may opt to ask for photographs instead. We will specify the details at the time. Please do not be put off by the idea of a home check - we are only interested in where the guinea pigs will live.

Many people are happy to choose the guinea pigs they'd like from our photographs - either here on our website or others we may send you - but if you'd like to visit the rescue to do this you can do so before or after our visit to you. Please note that visits are strictly by appointment only.

As a final stage we will ask you to sign an adoption agreement when you collect your guinea pigs from us.

Our Rehoming Requirements

We are highly committed to ensuring the continued health and welfare of all the guinea pigs we re-home. Many of the animals that come into our rescue have come from very poor living conditions and we are determined that they will never have to suffer the same way again. In line with other major animal rescues we have set some minimum requirements which all new homes are required to meet. We will discuss these in more detail with you when you apply to us but in summary they are as follows:

A hutch or cage with a minumum internal size of 120cm(4 feet) wide x 60cm(2 feet) deep or equivalent for a pair of guinea pigs. Larger sizes are required for trios and bigger groups. Beware of external measurements provided by sellers!

We have a very strong preference for single story accommodation. Any ramps will need to be of an acceptably gentle gradient and with protection around the entrance and the sides to prevent injury.

Unfortunately many hutches are too small and have been designed for rabbits so are totally unsuitable for guinea pigs despite what the sellers say. This is particularly relevant to hutches with an attached open bottomed run beneath them.

Ideally guinea pigs will be able to go into a seperate secure outside run for exercise and grazing in good weather. This must have rigid, predator proof sides and top. Chicken wire, nylon mesh or similar is not acceptable.

Adequate protection must be provided to keep the guinea pigs safe from domestic and wild predators and also from extremes of weather at all times.

Appropriate levels of care and supervision must be provided by adults in the case of guinea pigs being rehomed to live in a household with children.

Guinea pigs should be housed either inside the house during the winter months (October to April) or inside a shed or outhouse with good natural daylight and good ventilation.

Additional Information for Rehoming

All our guinea pigs are re-homed on the basis that they are not to be used for breeding.

We usually rehome guinea pigs in same sex pairs but occasionally have pairs made up of a neutered male and a female. We also sometimes have trios of girls available or a neutered male with two girls.

We do not rehome single guinea pigs to live on their own. As they are sociable animals we only rehome single guinea pigs to live with another of the same sex or with a neutered one of the opposite sex. We are happy to help find new companions for recently bereaved guinea pigs depending on what we have available in the rescue. On these occasions all introductions must be done here at the rescue so we can be sure that all the guinea pigs get on well together before we let any go to their new homes.

We will rehome single females to live with more than one guinea pig but only rehome boys to live in pairs.

We do not rehome guinea pigs to live with rabbits or with any other species of animal or bird.

We do not rehome guinea pigs to free-ranging homes.

We do not rehome guinea pigs to live in housing with permanently attached runs eg. Eglu

We do not rehome guinea pigs to schools or petting farms.

The decision whether or not to rehome to anyone applying to adopt guinea pigs from us rests with us.

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